BJP leaders in the State on Monday condemned the defacing of Tamil poet-savant Thiruvalluvar’s statue at Pillayarpatti near Thanjavur, and urged the State government to take immediate action to arrest the culprits.
In a statement, former Union Minister Pon. Radhakrishnan said the defacing of Thiruvalluvar’s statue was highly condemnable. “Turning Thiruvalluvar into a topic of discussion and debate and mocking and insulting him will never be accepted by any Tamilian or anyone who has an interest in the Tamil language. Even those who are not Tamilians won’t accept this,” he said.
Mr. Radhakrishnan said there was a possibility that the defacing of Thiruvalluvar’s statue could be a “planned conspiracy”, and the Tamil Nadu government should take immediate steps to track down the accused.
‘No connection’
“Thiruvalluvar and the debates surrounding him today have no connection [to the incident]. I believe the insulting events that are unfolding now will leave Tamilians around the world feeling ashamed. Whoever has indulged in this atrocious activity can only be a betrayer of Tamilians and must be brought to book,” he said.
State BJP general secretary Vanathi Srinivasan tweeted: “Strict action must be taken against those who insulted Thiruvalluvar’s statue. We have to pray to Deiva pulavar (Divine Poet) just like we pray to statues of Gods.”
